Darren Levy2014-02-17T11:17:04-08:00http://www.darrenlevy.com/Darren LevyFinding your CTO co-founder in five simple steps2011-10-03T00:00:00-07:00http://www.darrenlevy.com/blog/2011/10/03/finding-your-CTO<h1>Finding your CTO co-founder in five simple steps</h1>
<p class=byline> By Darren - October 3, 2011</p>
<p>CEO-types like to say that it's next to impossible to find a CTO because there's such a small talent pool for so many jobs -- which is true.</p>
<p>The main reason there are so many jobs is because just about everyone has an idea for a startup, including programmers.</p>
<p>There should be no doubt there are lots of programmers eager to build a startup. The issue is this -- CEOs feel they need to find a CTO. They don't take the attitude that a CTO should find them. Reason being, CEOs want to go with their own idea. Heck, that's probably the reason they decided they wanted to get involved in the startup scene in the first place. They aren't willing to jump on board with a CTO who already has an idea -- maybe even built a prototype.</p>
<p>CTOs need you as much as you need them. The question is how can you apply yourself to create a meaningful partnership?</p>
<p>If you want to find a CTO co-founder, follow these five steps:</p>
<ol>
<li>Find a programmer.</li>
<li>Ask what he or she is working on.</li>
<li>Decide if you like the idea. If not, repeat steps 1-3. This is very important.</li>
<li>Explain how your skills can help.</li>
<li>When the time is right, ask the programmer if they are looking for a co-founder.</li>
</ol>